


A Family Reunion

by mollykakes



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Avengers Family, Avengers know Phil is alive, BAMF Darcy Lewis, BAMF Melinda May, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Gen, Grant Ward and Darcy Lewis are siblings, Phil is alive, Protective Steve Rogers, Sassy Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2014-01-26
Packaged: 2018-01-01 20:00:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1047982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mollykakes/pseuds/mollykakes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy Lewis has spent most of her life moving on from family tragedy. Now, when she's firmly settled in New York as Tony Stark's assistant and with a superhero boyfriend, her past has come back with a vengeance. Her over-protective big brother is on the scene with her extended superhero family, but it's up the her to save the day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I read a prompt on tumblr from indynerdgirl about Darcy and Grant Ward being siblings and have run with it. In one of the first Shield episodes, Ward alluded to having an older brother who picked on their younger brother. And other than being awesome, not much else is known about Darcy, so this is my interpretation of that prompt. It's been a while since I've written for any fandom and published it, but I'm excited about beginning again and being a more active part of darcyland.
> 
> This is not betaed, so any mistakes are my own.
> 
> ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                  Somewhere over Indiana, Coulson, Ward and May stood around the console as Sitwell called in from the Hub. They had been in Iowa, following a Centipede trail that ended in an abandoned shack outside of Cedar Rapids. But, there had been a computer, so Skye and FitzSimmons were working on figuring out if there was anything of importance on it. Ward hoped they could have a few days to unwind so he could go see his sister and finally meet her boyfriend.

                 “We believe an ex-Hydra agent has stolen hydra weaponry and is headed to New York. We do not know what he’s planning or where he’s going…” Sitwell briefed them.

                  “Do we know anything about the agent?” Coulson asked.

                  “Wilson Ward.” Ward paled as the other two looked at him, accessing.

                  “His target is Darcy Lewis.” Ward said definitevely. If he was heading to New York, he was heading to Darcy. “She’s Tony Stark’s assistant. She’s our half sister.”

                  “Are you sure?” Coulson asked.

                  “As sure as I am that he killed our mother and our step-dad on his 18th birthday and made sure that his nearly 8 year old sister was the one to find them. So yes…I’m sure he’s going after Darcy.”

                  “We’ll be heading to New York.” Coulson said.

                  “The Avengers are not aware…”

                  “If you think they don’t know, then you don’t know how annoying Tony Stark can be.”  Coulson said, ending the transmission.

                  “I’ll direct us towards New York.” May said, leaving the room and heading for the cockpit.

                  “Do you want to call Darcy and tell her?” Coulson asked Ward.

                  “She’ll…no. I want to tell her in person.” Ward told him. “If at all possible.”

                  “I’ve seen your sister face down the Destroyer in New Mexico, and all reports say she acted just as bravely in London…”

                  “It’s not that. She’s tough. I know that. But this is something else entirely.”

                  “Ok. I’ve got an in.” Coulson said, pulling up his phone and dialing.  “Jarvis, its Agent Coulson, I need to speak to Mr. Stark or Miss Potts. It’s about a threat to Miss Lewis’s safety.”  Coulson placed it on speaker as the hold music began and came to an abrupt end.

                  “Phil.” Pepper said, “You’re on speaker.”

                  “Jarvis said it has to do with Darcy? She’s not here at the moment, she’s out to lunch with her boyfriend now.” Tony said

                  “Have you read her file?”

                  “No, but I listen to her because she does not stop talking. Even when I ask her to. All the time. She’s got the crazy murderous brother, right?” Tony replied.

                  “Yes, tactful as ever Mr. Stark.  He’s coming your way.”

                  “I’m guessing that means you are too. Since her normal brother is on your team.”  Tony snarked. “You’re actually among the living, right?”

                  “It’s debatable.” Coulson quipped. “There are 6 of us.”

                  “We have room, you can stay with us. Happy will meet you at the entry way…just call when you’re nearby.”

                  “Will do.” Coulson said.

                  “Agent, don’t bite anyone until we’re sure you’re not a zombie.”

                  “I will still taze you and watch Supernanny while you’re twitching on the floor. Also, Grant wants to tell his sister.”

                  “Please, Darcy’s already tazed me and watched Downton Abbey.” Tony said, hanging up.

                  “We’ll be there in 3 hours. Ward, tell us everything I need to know about Wilson.”

                  “I don’t know much. I haven’t seen him since the morning he killed our parents. But he was a psychopath when we were growing up. Missing animals, rages, he tried to kill Darcy when she was 3 months old. He’s insane.”

                  “And he joined Hydra.” Coulson paused. “So if he wasn’t crazy before he definitely is now.”

 ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

                 

Darcy, when she told a story, told it with her whole body. There were times where he didn't really listen because it usually involved Tony, Jane, Bruce and how they shouldn’t be “trusted together with science and things that go boom.” Like now. He had tuned out the moment she started in on how Tony wanted to build yet another bi-frost station. But he did love watching her when she talked about the madness in the lab.

                  “Steve, you’re not listening again.” She said as she took the last fry.

                  “No.” He confessed. “But you’re so cute when you tell stories.”

                  “You know, once I remember you telling me you were horrible at talking to women.”

                  “Well, I had to take my foot out of my mouth eventually when it came to you.”

                  “Sweet talker.” She laughed as he took her hand across the table. “So how long do you think I have before Tony realizes I’m missing?”

                  “Just bring him a sandwich.” Steve said as his phone beeped. “Or he’s going to annoy me.” He told her with a sigh as he pulled out his cell phone and read the message quickly. _Darcy’s crazy brother is heading to city, she’s the target. Coulson’s team and Grant coming in to help. We’re gathering now, keep her busy for the next hour or two while we figure out a plan of attack. We need dinner for everyone plus 6. Do not tell her yet._ From Pepper. Tony would never have that much tact.

                  “I have to go back.”

                  “Nope. They don’t want you to interrupt their sciencing. Pepper’s there – we need dinner for us plus 6.”

                  “Why plus six?” She asked, then rolled her eyes. “You know what, I bet it’s the Reeds, Ben, Alicia, and that ass Storm. Plus whoever. Fine. But I’m not making them dessert. Want to go to Eataly? I’ll make some lasagnas for dinner?”

                  “Sounds good to me.”

 ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

                  “What’s going on?” Clint asked as they all gathered in the common area of the tower.

                  “Apparently Darcy’s older brother is coming here.” Pepper told them.

                  “Grant?” Jane asked. “He’s SHIELD. And why isn’t she here while we're talking about this?”

                  “Well, Grant is coming – but the older one. Wilson.” Tony said, pulling up everything he could find on Wilson, then sending it to everyone’s phone for emphasis. “Murderer, psychopath, mercenary, hydra agent…basically, the worst of the worst.”

                  “And Lady Darcy knows this of her brother?” Thor inquired.

                  “She was nearly 8, according to this, when he disappeared after killing her parents.” Natasha said.

                  “Her grandmother raised her, and her two other brothers. They’re half siblings. Same mom, different dads.” Jane added. “She only talks to Grant. Jackson disappeared a few years ago.”

                  “So he’s coming here? And you think he’s coming after Darcy?” Bruce questioned as he read through the file.

                  “SHIELD does – her brother’s on Coulson’s team, Coulson called. They’re on they’re way too.”

                  “Steve’s with her?” Clint looked at the file as well.

                  “Yes. He knows that Wilson is on his way. She doesn’t know yet.” Pepper told them. “Her brother asked to be the one to tell her when he gets in.”

                 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy and Steve meet up with an old friend while Ward and the Shield team make their way to New York.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! Thanks for all the great response to the first chapter! I'm going to try to get a new chapter up every couple of days, while my muse is still behaving. Also, you can find me on tumblr as mollykakes. I post a mish-mash of things.

               

* * *

 

                 Steve took the third bag Darcy handed him, this one filled with different types of cheeses and pre-made appetizers. He already had all the fresh pasta, bread, and vegetables. Eataly was crowded at this time in the afternoon, but not so crowded he couldn’t see if anyone was following them.  It was by the pastries that he saw him out of the corner of his eye. A tall, dark haired, gaunt man watching Darcy with interest. Then he saw him 20 feet away, the metal of his arm catching the glint of the lights.  Steve smirked, then nodded towards Darcy as if he were agreeing with what she was saying.

                  “Maybe I’ll make tiramisu?” She said. “It’s easy. I just have to get lady fingers and marscapone. And chocolate. We have everything else.”

                  “Sounds good to me. I love your tiramisu.” Steve told her.

                  “You do.” She smiled. “I have to use the ladies, you want to get the marscapone…”

                  “I’ll wait for you to pick that out. I don’t want to be the reason no one likes it.” He said, following her as she turned to head to the ladies room. As they walked to the restrooms he saw the man leave and Bucky follow them towards the restrooms. Bucky stood next to Steve as soon as Darcy was in the restroom.

                  “You are obviously aware that an ex-hydra agent has it out for your girl.” Bucky said. “Does she know?”

                  “No.”

                  “What did she do?”

                  “Nothing.” Steve told him. “How’d you find out?”

                  “Heard some static while out in the world, heard Darcy was at the center of it, figured I have my head on straight enough to help out. So really, what she do?”

                  “Nothing. He’s her brother.”

                  “She know he’s…”

                  “No. She hasn’t seen him since she was 8, the day he killed her parents.”

                  “Well, that will be a happy reunion then.” Bucky paused. “She doesn’t know yet?”

                  “Her other brother is on his way in, he’s SHIELD, he asked to be the one to tell her.”

                  “And you don’t want to get on her brother's bad side before meeting him?”

                  “Exactly.” Steve laughed as the door opened. Darcy glared at Bucky.

                  “Barnes.”

                  “Lewis.” He replied. “Rogers here was mentioning dinner.”

                  “How’s that arm with high temperatures, because if it’s Storm and he pisses me off I might need you to choke him.”

                  “Will do.” Bucky laughed.

                  “Ok. I need to get the dessert stuff, you should call for a car, unless you want to carry all this food 20 blocks.” Darcy said, reaching up to kiss Steve on the cheek. “And Barnes, be helpful and take a bag or two from the man.”

                  “Why don’t you have one?”

                  “Because I have a super solider boyfriend who feels useful doing stuff gentlemanly chores like carrying the bags. And he looks much prettier doing it than I do.” Both men laughed, following her back to the shop. Steve called Happy for a car and a badge for Bucky while Darcy picked out stuff to make dessert. He wasn’t surprised to find Happy with the car. He was just as protective of all of them as he was Tony. Especially Darcy. Happy got her in the car as he and Bucky placed her purchases in the trunk.

                  Darcy was chatting with Happy as she noticed him across the street, watching. It was Grant, but not Grant.

                  “Huh. My brother has a doppleganger in the city.” She commented as Steve and Bucky entered the car.

                  “What?” Steve asked, looking out the window. Wilson was walking down the street, away from them, grin on his face.

                  “He looked like Grant, that’s all. It couldn’t be Grant though, since he’s in Iowa. Or at least he was last time I checked. Whatever, I’ll call him tomorrow. It’s been a few days.” She looked at Happy. “Please tell me it’s not the Fantastic group of idiots joining us.”

                  “It’s not the fantastic group of idiots joining you.” Happy repeated.

                  “If it is, I’m blaming you Hogan.”

                  “Of course Miss Lewis.”

                  “It’s Darcy. We’ve been over this. Steve, haven’t we been over this?”

                  “Personally, I think a little civility in the world is a breath of fresh air.”

                  “Whatever old man.” Darcy laughed as they headed into traffic.

 

* * *

 

 

                  “Need help?” Pepper asked, entering the common room kitchen. Steve and Bucky had joined up with the Avengers a half hour ago while Darcy started cooking for everyone. She figured a half hour wait was enough, to make it seem like she was coming in from work. They’d all been throwing out suggestions, which pretty much amounted to “let’s keep Darcy locked in the tower until it goes away.” Pepper was sure that would not work with Darcy, because it was the last thing that would work on her. It was already 5 o’clock, and Phil had texted before she had come up that they were about 45 minutes out from New York.

                  “Yes, could you brew some espresso?”

                  “Are you making tiramisu?”

                  “Yes, I’m making a meal entirely of layers. Because it’s incredibly easy to assemble.” She said as Pepper walked around to the other side of the island. “And I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like lasagna.”

                  “Vegetarians. But then again they haven’t had your eggplant and zucchini lasagna.”

                  “That was my mom’s recipe. She used to make it for us.” She explained. “Three boys and me, she had to figure out how to get us to eat our vegetables.”

                  “Did she teach you how to cook?”

                  “Yeah. When I was little. I would always be by her side while she was cooking. My granddad owned a restaurant, that’s who taught me the most. It’s also how I can cook for all of you without going crazy. But my mom always had all her recipes written down. I have them.” She said softly.

                  “I’m sorry, I know you don’t speak about them often.”

                  “Well, Thor, Clint and I gather together every few weeks to have a ‘crazy homicidal brothers’ meeting. I usually bring cheesecake.” Pepper snorted as she grabbed the coffee pot.

                  “You just want it espresso roast brewed like coffee, right?” Pepper asked, changing the subject.

                  “Yes, please.” Darcy laughed. “Shot by shot would take forever.”

                  “Want Tony’s good, hidden rum?”

                  “God yes.” She paused. “I also wouldn’t say no to a bottle of wine between the two of us while there’s sciencing and brawling in the gym.”

                  “Steve and Bucky?” Pepper asked as she headed towards the bar.

                  “I think they’re testing Bucky’s arm strength, now that he has a bit more of his mind back.”

                  “How do you two already seem chummy? As far as I know he went AWOL after DC.”

                  “He’d show up at Steve’s in Brooklyn, every once in a while, to make sure that he’s not imagining things. Between him and Tony, if I ever have kids I will definitely know how to stop a temper tantrum without resorting to physical violence.”

                  “And how do you do that?” Pepper asked, having been present while Darcy handled Tony during a hissy fit. Which ended with Tony curled in the fetal position on the floor after she kicked him and Darcy with a new job as his assistant.

                  “I leave and let Steve handle it. I ain’t got time for that shit Pepper.”

* * *

 

                  “So why are we in New York?” Fitz asked through the com as May drove the short bus towards Avengers Tower.

                  “And why did Ward unload the armory and why are we bringing it with us?” Skye added, not on com. Ward was in the other truck behind them with FitzSimmons.

                  “Tony Stark’s assistant has come to the attention of an ex-hydra agent and we believe that she is in danger. So we’re here to help, and get help because Stark may be the only one who knows more about Extremis than Centipede,” Coulson told them. It was not up to him to disclose Ward and Miss Lewis’ relationship. “We’re probably going to need the armory.”

                  “We’re going to meet Tony Stark?” Simmons piped up from the other car.

                  “Probably all the Avengers. They’re all very protective of Miss Lewis, not just because she’s Mr. Stark’s assistant.” Coulson told them.

                  “So why has Tony Stark’s assistant gained the attention of Hydra?” Skye asked.

                  “We’re not sure exactly.” May said quickly.

                  “He’s her brother.” Ward said. “Our brother. Darcy’s my sister.”

                  “You have a sister?” Skye asked.

                  “Yes.”

                  “And she’s Tony Stark’s personal assistant. According to Forbes Magazine his new assistant is Pepper Potts with a lower bullshit tolerance.”

                  “She tazed Thor and knocked him unconscious the first time he arrived in New Mexico. So yes, she has a low bullshit tolerance.” Ward told them.

                  “She tazed Thor?” Fitz asked.

                  “And knocked him unconscious? He’s from Asgard. Another universe. He can fly.” Simmons added.

                  “He was without his powers, at that point.” Coulson said. “But still incredibly strong. I mean, he took out most of that science base…”

                  “I had our science department strengthen her tazer before I gave it to her, before she left for Culver.” Ward laughed. “Good to know it worked.”

 

* * *

 

 

                  They pulled into the private garage in the back. Ward was the first out of the car, and met Tony’s body man, Happy Hogan.

                  “You don’t look much like your sister.”

                  “She’s almost the exact replica of our grandmother.” Ward told him as the rest of the team came up behind him.

                  “Here are your badges, you are to have them on your person at all times and on display any time you leave the Avengers only portion of the tower. It also acts as your room key.”  Happy explained as he distributed the badges, with photos, to everyone on the team.

                  “How’d you get all our names? I didn’t forward it to Stark…” Coulson started.

                  “Since Miss Lewis became aware that her brother was part of your team and she became Mr. Stark’s assistant, she’s had badges ready and waiting for you incase anything ever went crazy and you all needed a place.”

                  “How’d she know Agent Coulson…” Ward started, but realized he really didn’t want to know the answer.

                  “She’s good with computers.” Happy said. Yep, that was the answer Ward did not want. “There’s one caveat.”

                  “Yes?”

                  “Skye, I will need your cell phone and your tablet while you’re here. You are permitted to use the computers upstairs, but you can only use technology monitored by JARVIS. Neither Miss Lewis nor Ms. Potts are particularly fond of the Rising Tide, even if you are a former member.”

                  “What if I don’t give you my phone or tablet?”

                  “Then we have a very nice meditation room for when Dr. Banner gets angry, in the sub-basement. He’s never used it, but it’s there. No internet connection, no cable, and you wouldn’t be allowed out until the mission is done.”

                  “That’s imprisonment.”

                  “Yes, which is why it’s much easier if you had over your phone. Or face Miss Lewis’ wrath. Trust me, when I tell you, it’s nearly as bad as what happens when you throw a punch at Agent Romanov.” Happy told her, holding out his hand. “It’s the easiest option. Trust me.”

                  “Give him your phone.” Ward ordered, anxious to get to his sister.

 

* * *

 

 

                  Jane and Darcy were putting out the appetizers, everyone else gathering around the bar trying desperately to act normal. Steve was watching Darcy, who was unaware of everyone else’s worry, when the elevator doors opened. Darcy looked up, breaking out into a wide smile as she noticed her brother at the front of the crowd.

                  “Jerkface!”

                  “Doodles.” Ward replied dryly.

                  “Your nickname is Doodles?” Tony asked.

                  “Do not think of using it. I know your passwords and I will use them. And I will reset all your things to their original factory settings. ALL OF THEM.” Darcy warned as she hugged her brother. “Son of Coul, it’s good to see you among the living. If you’re a zombie, you have to tell us.”

                  “What is with you guys and zombies?” Coulson asked.

                  “Recently we’ve been educating Steve, Thor, and Bucky when he’s around on classic horror movies. We’re on zombies. Also, because we were all told you were dead and now you’re alive in front of us.” Darcy stood by Grant’s side. “So this is your team. I know Coulson, introduce me to the rest of your team. They do know you have a sister, right, this isn’t a surprise, right?”

                  “No, he told us, about 5 minutes ago.” Simmons said. “Jemma Simmons.”

                  “Oh god, your scientists are meeting my scientists. This will not end well.” Darcy said. “It’s nice to meet you. Everyone likes lasagna, right?” Everyone nodded. “Steve, it wasn’t Grant’s doppleganger by Eataly…”

                  “Darcy…” Grant started. She looked up at him. “We just got in from Iowa.”

                  “So if it wasn’t you, and you’re here now…oh god, its him. I’m a target, aren’t I?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teams meet and mingle while Darcy and Grant catch up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! Work and real life has been busy and now the holidays with family in from England and elsewhere, and having to share a room so I haven't been able to write as much as I'd like. But I got a few hours today to finish, so here's the next chapter. And thanks so much for all the kind comments and words! Keep them coming!

                 

* * *

 

                  “We think so. Yes.” Grant told her, looking down at her. “You saw him.”

                  “As we were leaving…” Darcy turned to Steve. “That’s why you followed me down to the restrooms, that’s why Bucky appeared out of no where…the chatter is loud enough that…”

                  “Darce…” Steve started only to be cut off by a glare.

                  “Just…get comfortable. I need a minute.” She headed towards the bathroom, nearly smiling as she heard Pepper take over from her with introductions. She reached the small, yet full, bathroom (only Tony Stark would think a powder room was too common for a common area) and entered it quickly because she knew Steve was just steps behind her, probably with Grant. Which will only end badly but at this point she doesn’t care. She locked it and sat in the tub. She used to do this when she was little, she’d hide in the tub when Wilson would fight with her other brothers and her parents weren’t around. Grant would give her enough cover to get into the bathroom. Sometimes, if it was really bad, she’d curl up under the sink, in the cabinets. If he couldn’t see her, she wasn’t there. Only her dad had a key, and it kept her away from “rough housing boys.” But she wasn’t an idiot; she knew there was more to it than that even when she was 4 or 5. Everyone was afraid of Wilson, even her parents. They tried. God, they tried _so hard_ to help him. They sent him to military schools, boot camps, outward bound. There would be months where he was gone, months of peace and normalcy, until he got kicked out of there for starting fires or fighting. Sometimes she could hear her parents late at night, fighting over what to do. Both of them wanted to help so badly, to find out what was making him act this way. But as Gramsy always said, sometimes a bad apple is a bad apple, and there was no masking that with sugar or spice.

                  “Darcy, can I come in.”

                  “How long was he watching me Steve?” She asked, wiping her face. She hadn’t realized she’d started crying.

                  “Only a few minutes, before you headed down to the bathrooms. He left then.”

                  “You should have told me.”

                  “In my defense, I was asked not to, because your brother wanted to tell you.” Steve told her. “And I didn’t want to make him angry before meeting him for the first time.”

                  “What?” Grant asked. She could hear one of them start to jimmy the lock. Amateurs.

                  “Can one of us come in?” Steve requested, quietly, deferring to her in this instance. But she knew he’d just storm in anyway. Both of them would. They’d probably get stuck in the doorway. She started to giggle as she pictured them jammed in the doorway together, unable to move. “Darce?” The giggle quickly morphed into full-blown laughter.

                  “Darcy Elizabeth…” Grant warned.

                  “I just…you two storming through the door at the same time, I’m picturing you two getting stuck because of your shoulders.” She laughed out, before it morphed into tears, then full blown sobs.

                  “I’m coming in.” Grant told her. She didn’t say anything, just waited until he was sitting next to the tub, next to her. They both waited until she calmed down to even move. She looked up to find Steve standing in the doorway.

                  “I’m ok. Go. Let Coulson act incredibly awkwardly around you. Jarvis, make sure you tape it.” She sniffled.

                  “You sure?” he asked. She knew he wanted to jump in and make everything better, at that moment, for her. But he couldn’t. And she needed someone who understood it wholeheartedly.

                  “Yeah.” She smiled up at him, her eyes still filled with tears. “Grant’s got this.” He nodded, turned and headed into the common area.

                  “So you’re what, Captain America’s best friend?”

                  “Girlfriend, actually.” She said. “He just said he was nervous about meeting you for the first time. Boyfriend, girlfriend’s only known family…”

                  “You said you met your boyfriend Steve at work!” Grant exclaimed.

                  “I did. Steve Rogers. Met him when I moved into the tower to work with Jane.”

                  “You’re dating Captain America.”

                  “I’m dating Steve. He just happens to wear a star spangled suit as part of his job. He does look damn good in that suit.” She paused. “How long did you know?”

                  “A few hours. We found out and Coulson called Stark. We headed here.” He explained. “We knew he was heading to New York but not that he was here and that he had eyes on you. Darcy, if I knew he was already here I’d have told you right away.”

                  “Ok.” She looked at him. “Why now, after all these years?”

                  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” She smiled at him sadly then, knowing full well it was a promise that he couldn’t keep. They weren’t kids any more; mom and dad weren’t down the hall. He wasn’t just the violent big brother who’d torture his little brothers every chance he got, or tried to make it seem like his baby sister was clumsy and had bad luck. This was something more. “What are you making for dinner?”

                  “Lasagna.”

                  “Really? And you didn’t know I was coming?”

                  “No.” She smirks at him. “I thought it was the Fantastic Four coming for dinner, and neither Dr. Richards nor Johnny Storm are fond of lasagna. And I’m not really fond of either of them. So I made lasagna.”

                  “Richards I can see, he’s an egotistical dick. But Storm? I figured the sarcasm alone…”

                  “See, it would be a beautiful friendship if he just looked me in the eyes while talking to me instead of mentally undressing me. So no, I’m not a flame girl, or whatever ridiculous moniker the press have given his fan girls recently.” Grant held out his hand to her as he got up from the floor. “Come on, I want to meet your team.”

 

* * *

 

                  “We are in Avengers Tower. Under very terrible circumstances for Ward, but come on.” Skye said. May was already speaking to Barton and Romanov, and a man they didn’t know on sight. “Oh my god, he’s dreamier in real life.”

                  “Well, yes. He is.” Simmons agreed as Thor came closer.

                  “Son of Coul, it is good to see you among the living. I would like to apologize for the harm caused by my brother, but am heartened to see you among such good companions. Lady Darcy has told us many tales of your team’s valor and bravery. And foolishness, as she has mumbled on more than one occasion. But I believe it is often towards her brother. She worries much about him.”  Thor announced.

                  “Miss Lewis has gotten much better at hacking since New Mexico.”

                  “She makes it very clear that she was under a time crunch and I was hovering. She did hack SHIELD’s firewalls in Norway in 5 minutes.” Jane told them. “And most of her stories are what Grant is able to tell her. When it comes to the actual mission reports I think she prefers to worry about his safety in private.”

                  “Was it your idea or Fury’s?” Tony asked.

                  “Tony…” Bruce chided.

                  “Fury’s. Technically I was dead for a bit; 8 seconds, 40 something seconds…no one’s really sure.” Coulson answered.  

                  “Don’t do it again.” Pepper said, heading into the kitchen. “I should check on the lasagnas…”

“She keeps them on a timer, when it goes off she removes the foil.” Bruce told her.

“Have you spent a lot of time watching her make lasagna?” Tony asked, eyebrow up and leering.

“I’ve been trying to figure out her recipe. It’s that damn good. So yes, I watch when she makes lasagna. Like Pepper watches when she makes red velvet cupcakes. Or you when she makes her macaroni and cheese.” He turned as Steve entered the common area. “How’s she doing?”

                  “Better than expected.” He said. “Which is still pretty bad. Agent Coulson, it’s good to see you.”

                  “Captain Rogers.” Coulson said. “How is Miss Lewis doing?”

                  “Not well. And it’s Darcy. She does not like being called Miss Lewis.” Steve said.

                  “Why?” Fitz asked.

                  “She had to go to an event with Tony and I, got stuck with an asshole who kept calling her Miss Lewis and kept trying to get a hand up her dress – Happy noticed, right as Darcy got the drop on the creep, which is why he gets away with calling her Miss Lewis. Because he got her out of being arrested.” Pepper told them.

                  “She still hates it though.” Clint added.  “And I think no one should call her that today because she will hurt someone.”

                  “I remember the incident reports from New Mexico.” Coulson commented.

                  “Incident reports?” Skye asked.

                  “There were a few agents who didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Darcy handled them.” Jane said. “My favorite was when the one guy suggested a threesome and she broke his nose and his wrist.” She turned to Thor. “I’ll explain later.” She said, patting him on the chest. “We have appetizers. I don’t know what else she needs done…”

                  “I’ve got it.” Darcy said, entering the room. “Coulson, after this, you better have good news for me the next time you visit.”

                  “I’ll try.” He assured her. “Though I’m a little offended you took a job as Stark’s assistant when you wouldn’t even consider being mine.”

                  “Dude, you stole my iPod.” She said. “And Jane’s research. You can ask any of the people they’ve sent over since you, you know, died. I’m the only face they get to see unless it’s Fury or Hill visiting, and then they can see the rest. And they do not like me. At all. I am not built for a semi-covert government agency.” She said.

                  “The only reason Shield hasn’t done anything about it is because we made sure every one knew that she took down Thor.” Natasha clarified. “And that if anything happened to her…”

                  “There would be consequences.” Barton added.                  

                  “Usually mine.” Steve said. “And since the elevator incident no one really cares to be in a tight spot with me.”

                  “Elevator incident?” Skye asked as Darcy headed over to the kitchen area.

                  “About 15 people in an elevator, he just had his shield, they attempted to take him in or something, who knows, but he took them all out.” Darcy smiled at him. “Also, since I have everyone’s attention – if your plan is keeping me in this tower, you have until after dinner, when we’ll discuss this insanity, to think of new plans.”

                  “Darcy…” Steve started.

                  “Nope. You know better than to make decisions for me.” She said, checking the timer. “We’ve got about 45 minutes until lasagnas ready.”  Steve looked at her, carefully. “You haven’t had anything to eat since lunch, you have to be starving now.” She told him softly. “I’m ok. I promise.”

                  “No you’re not.”

                 

* * *

 

                  Darcy nearly jumped when Grant’s scientists sat at the island across from her as she took the trays of lasagna to rest. She did jump when Agent May stood next to her. Then Skye sat at the island. They’d all been mingling, while she set the table and got drinks and acted like she didn’t want to scream, or run away to keep her family drama away from all these people. The family she chose, the one she adopted and who adopted her. It was her normal and she didn’t want to lose it. Steve had hovered, and Grant had watched like a hawk until she sent them both a warning glare because she was an adult, damn it. She wasn’t a child and she wasn’t about to break.

                  “Are you sectioning us off because I’d love it if Grant wasn’t around Tony. Or Bucky. Because I feel like that would end in a fist fight. I don’t want to deal with Tony’s bruised ego or Grant’s broken nose.”

                  “Broken nose?” Simmons asked.

                  “Bucky. He’d wait until Grant threw the first punch to defend himself, but he’d break his nose. Super Solider serum plus the red room of bat shit crazy, you wouldn’t want to get on his bad side.” She said.

                  “I believe Dr. Foster, Thor, Miss Potts, and Dr. Banner are with Ward.” Agent May said.

                  “Ok that’s actually worst.” She said, turning around to the fridge so she could grab the lettuce, cucumber and peppers. She placed them on the island between the two cutting boards before grabbing the giant salad bowl, tomatoes, and onion. Then she took out the salad spinner – the industrial sized one Tony had ordered when she complained about how difficult it was to make salad for 15 in a tiny salad spinner. Then she placed the ceramic lettuce knife in front of May. “If you are on this side of the island, you help make food.” May looked at her, accessing before picking up the knife.

                  “You are not what we were expecting.” Skye told her.

                  “This is the most you’ve talked to me since I re-entered the room 30 minutes ago, that’s not enough time to make a valid assessment and how alike or not like my brother I am.” Darcy told her as she started slicing up the peppers.  She didn’t want to talk about Grant with Skye. She didn’t want to talk about Grant with any of them, really. Because she didn’t know where the line was with his team, what he wanted them to know or not know about him. There was a reason they didn’t know about her until today.

                  “Do you know why your eldest brother is coming after you?” Skye asked. May just raised her eyebrow, as if to say _really?_ May was officially Darcy’s favorite.

                  “He’s insane.” She told them. “Really. You know how, in _Addams Family Values_ , Wednesday tells Pugsley that when a new baby is born one of the other children dies?”

                  “Yes, I love that movie, with the Thanksgiving scene…” Fitz started.

                  “The day I was born he threw our brother down a well. Nearly let him drown. He would have, had Wilson not taken Grant with them to prove a point. When I was 3 months old, my dad found him shoving grown up food down my throat. 4 days later I had to be rushed to the hospital because I wasn’t eating…I had infant botulism.”

                  “That usually comes from a baby ingesting honey…” Simmons began to explain.

                  “Yeah, and Wilson had just done a report on honey. He knew that. He gave me honey any way.”

                  “How old was he?”

                  “10.” She told them. “So he’s just crazy. I don’t know what else you need to know.” Steve caught her eye from across the room where he was talking to Bucky and the wonder twins. He excused himself from the group and headed over to Darcy.

                  “I think Thor’s about to launch into the story about your epic bar crawl, so you may want to stop that…” He said, kissing her temple before taking the knife. “I can’t screw up salad.”

                  “Ok. Thanks.” She said, heading over to her brother.

                  “You don’t get to ask Darcy about her family.” He told them, looking at Skye.

                  “We’re here to help…” Skye started.

                  “I’m very aware that you’re here to help. I am not unaware that my girlfriend’s insane older brother is stalking her and wants to come after her. Thank you for reminding me of that. But knowing about her childhood isn’t going to help. Because you don’t want to know about hers, you want to know about Grant’s.” He told her, slicing into the tomatoes. “Ask him about his childhood, not her. If they don’t want to talk about it, you can’t force it.”

                  “Speaking from experience?” May asked.

                  “I assume my girl came by her stubbornness naturally. Unless you all want to tell me Grant is a team player and not part mule.” They all were quiet. “Thought so.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two teams sit down for dinner, Ward and Darcy share some slightly embarrassing stories, Grant comes to a conclusion and Darcy comes to a realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a lot of dialogue, which is the last time it will happen, hopefully. My muse was being stubborn with this chapter, but I have a large section of the next chapter already written, so hopefully it will be up before Christmas. 
> 
> This is not beta'ed, so all mistakes are my own. I am looking for a beta, so if anyone is interested let me know.

                 

* * *

 

                  Darcy checked the lasagnas as Steve took the salad to the table.

                  “Is it time for dinner yet?” Tony complained, heading over to check on the food. Darcy quickly handed Tony a tray.

                  “Everyone, to the table.” She announced. “Dinner’s ready.”

.                  “Why am I carrying this? I don’t carry things. People don’t hand me things.” She couldn’t believe that a 40 something year old man thought whining was acceptable, especially in the company of others. She nearly smacked him in the face; he really was an overgrown child sometimes. She had no idea how Pepper had worked as his PA for so long and then decided to enter into a relationship with the man. She’s pretty sure that as much as people praise Pepper, they haven’t quite realized she’s missing some brain cells. Or something.

                  “Because you came into the kitchen. You know the rules.”

                  “You know they haven’t said one word to each other, right?” He gestured towards Steve and Grant, who were standing practically next to each other but not saying a single word to the other. 

                  “No, really?!?” She exclaimed. “I’m not blind. Or dumb. I got all the people skills in my family. I love Grant, but he’s awful with new people. Please bring this to the table. Grant!” She yelled, holding out a tray. “Go. Tony. Now. Or I will have Dummy spray you with the fire extinguisher every time you go near a blowtorch for the next week.”

                  “I hate that my robots like you more.” He walked to the table, nodding at Grant as they passed. Grant held out his hands for the tray as he stood next to Darcy.

                  “You haven’t said a single word to my boyfriend…” Grant put his hands down and shoved them into his pockets.

                  “What do you want me to say?”

                  “I don’t know, anything!” She was trying so hard not to lose her temper. It was enough of a high stress situation without the two of them meeting for the first time. But she knew them both, they had to get along or they’d be at loggerheads in perpetuity. That was the last thing she needed today.. “Look, I know you’ve never met one of my boyfriends before, not that there were many before…but this is important.”

                  “He hasn’t said anything to me…”

                  “He’s from the 1940s. It’s called manners. He doesn’t want to overstep any boundaries or whatever. I don’t know. I can’t read his mind.” She snapped.

                  “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to wrap my head around my little sister dating a super hero who could get her killed…” She clenched her jaw and took a deep breath.

                  “I’m sorry, which one of us has the dark past coming back to haunt them, because it’s not Steve’s.” She glared at him. “Look, I’m going to make this easy, play nice and not be your loner self or I’ll tell everyone about Rebecca McDonald.” She said it quietly, so that only Grant could hear. They were glaring at each other now, on the other side of the island, away from the table. Everyone on her team was pretending like they weren’t paying attention to the siblings fight.

                  “Oh my god, I see the connection now.” Skye announced as his team noticed the stare down.

                  “Go ahead.”

                  “Better yet, I’ll just tell them about Dublin, and May. And what I suspect is a lot of other times with…”

                  “How…” Darcy smirked, knowing she had him there. “Fine.”

                  “Excellent. Bring this to the table.” She placed the lasagna in his arms. She grabbed the last tray and all the serving utensils, walking over to the table. “Ok, serve yourselves.”

                  “Mom’s…”

                  “Closest to you.” She looked at him as Steve pulled out the chair for her. Steve sat on her left, Grant on her right. She noticed how the scientists had grouped together, the agents in the middle, and Thor, Bucky and Skye at the end with Steve closest to them, with Coulson across from Steve, Pepper across from her. The two women shared a look as Darcy sat down.

                  “So we should do a toast. Darcy.” Tony announced

                  “Why do I have to do it?” She asked as Steve poured her a glass of wine.

                  “Because we’re all here for you.” He pointed out.

                  “Tony.” Pepper warned.

                  “No, he’s right. To Coulson, don’t die on us again, and please let this mean that I don’t have to sit through another of Sitwell’s 2 hour discussions about pie. I worked in a diner since I was about 9, I know my pie.”

                  “I shot him with the night-night gun.” Jemma said.

                  “You are my favorite and can I get a night-night gun?”

                  “No.” Steve replied. “I’d have to do your Shield paper work. I’m out of that business.”

                  “It was more like you were thrown out of that business.” Bruce quipped.

                  “Oh, everyone, feel free to start eating. We have no manners here.” Darcy said. “Also, I agree with Bruce.” She nearly laughed as everyone grabbed for food at the same time. Steve quickly cut her a slice of the lasagna closest to him while she grabbed the salad.

                  “It was a few helicarriers and that was not my fault.” Steve argued, looking at Bucky.

                  “Wasn’t my fault! I had you, Natasha and Fury. You were my only concerns during that time.”

                  “We argue about who at this table is responsible for the helicarriers falling on DC, like that’s normal.” Pepper told Coulson’s group.

                  “We play pranks on each other and beat Ward in Battleship.” Coulson said.

                  “People beat you in Battleship?” Darcy smiled. “I love your team. Who beat him first and how badly did he take it.”

                  “I did. Badly, but not nearly as badly as he did when he was steamrolled by Coulson.” Skye told her.

                  “I could have warned you Coulson was going to destroy you.”  Darcy teased.

                  “That was Clue. And because I wouldn’t let you cheat.”

                  “I knew you were cheating!” Steve looked at her.

                  “She always cheats at games.” Grant told Steve. “She was known for it growing up, because she was younger than us and refused to play with her dad or mom.”

                  “Good to know.”

                  “You’re going to bond over me cheating at board games?”

                  “Yes.” They replied in unison. The rest of the table was quiet as they grabbed food and began eating.

                  “Was Lady Darcy as vivacious as a child as she is now?” Thor boomed from the other side of the table.

                  “She was quiet as a kid.” Grant answered. “Most times. Though if Wilson was elsewhere she was a lot like she is now. Just, without the vocabulary or the tazer.” He grinned at her and she knew what was coming as she grabbed a slice of the veggie lasagna. “My favorite story was when she was playing with a little boy in our neighborhood. She had to be three at the time, maybe four, and it was 90 degrees out, so mom and his mom were letting them run through the hose. I was inside, playing video games and all of the sudden I just hear Darcy yell ‘What is that!’”

                  “Bobby, our neighbor, had stripped completely. I’d never seen a penis before.” Darcy smiled as Jane smacked Tony upside the head to prevent him from making the comment they all knew was forming.

                  “What was that for?” Tony complained

                  “So that you’d keep your mouth shut.” Jane replied.

                  “Thanks Jane. Anyway, Grant here, when he was seventeen, was going through a rebellious phase. Earring, there was a bad tattoo for a while, that he got removed once he joined Shield…it was comical, really, because at the core of him he was…” She gestured at her brother. “Anyway, he was seeing, and I use that term loosely, a girl Gramsie was not very fond of. She’s all about us making our own mistakes and going our own way, so she was very hands off but something about this girl irritated the hell out of her.”

                  “It was because she tried stealing from the till, at the diner.” Grant said.

                  “I forgot that! So anyway, she tells Grant to be home at 11. I was up with her and gramps, we were watching movies, Jack was at a friend’s house, sleeping over. Midnight rolls around and Grant’s not home. So our grandparents ran a diner, they knew everyone in town, were friends with everyone, and Gramsie calls the Sheriff. He finds Grant and the girl in an apparently stolen car down that the girl had ‘borrowed’, in the act. So he was escorted home.”

                  “You were what, sixteen, the first time you were dragged home by the cops?”

                  “Fifteen, and he deserved it. I was only filling his car up with shaving cream. I really just wanted to punch him in the face.”

                  “What did that poor kid do to deserve your ire?” Coulson asked

                  “He wrote horrible, horrible things about women in the school newspaper.”

                  “I’d have done the same thing.” Skye said.

                  “I’d have just punched him.” Steve said.

                  “Of course you would have.”

                 

 

* * *

 

                  Grant watched as Darcy ruled over the table, making sure everyone was talking to everyone. That no one was left out of the conversation. She’d always had that ability, to make people pay attention. She had, growing up, tried to never take life too seriously. She’d had enough serious in her life, she’d told him once. But here she was, with superheroes, spies, assassins, some of the smartest people in the world, and a God, and she’d grown up, before he even knew it. She’d always been a kid, to him, and maybe part of him would always see her as a kid (it was his big brother’s prerogative, after all). She was different now. Still bright, drawing people to her like they were moths and she was the light. Still funny and snarky, so much like their mother sometimes that it hurt. Gramsie used to tell him that Darcy had her mother’s ability to be the only sane person in a room full of lunatics, and her father’s ability to see through everyone else’s bullshit. She was a caretaker, through and through.

            Then he saw her look at Steve, at Captain America, who was talking to Coulson about the Howling Commandos and she looked so happy. She wasn’t burdened by her demons; she wasn’t terrified of whatever demons Steve had. And Steve looked at her like she was the greatest person to have ever walked the earth. He’d never seen her happier, and he wanted her to have the life that he gave up the moment he signed up for Shield. So he made up his mind then, he would do anything to make sure nothing happened to her. He wanted her to keep smiling like that. He’d give himself up to Wilson, in her place, if it kept her safe and with these people who love her as much as he does.

* * *

 

 

                  “Ok, we need to get your recipes, so we can make this on the bus.” Fitz said. “This is as good as Simmons’ prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella sandwich.”

                  “Grant has them. He’s just awful at cooking.” Darcy said, picking up her plate, then Grant’s plate. She stood up, grabbing Steve’s as she went. She smiled as she noticed Skye follow her lead. “Pass them down people, or no one gets dessert.”

                  “Do you all let her boss you around like this?” Grant asked.

                  “Someone’s got to do it.” Clint told him. “If not it’d be mass hysteria. Dogs and cats living together…”

                  “What?” Bucky asked. “Is that from something modern?”

                  “Ghostbusters.” Darcy answered, heading to the kitchen.

                  “He doesn’t know Ghostbusters?” Skye asked, following her.

                  “He was in and out of cryostasis for 70 something years, in Russia, so I don’t think Ghostbusters was up there on his ‘things to do when unfrozen’ list.” Darcy said.

                  “How old is he?”

                  “Technically – if Steve is 95 then Bucky’s 93? He’s two years younger, linearly. Though now he’s older and Steve’s younger because Bucky was awake for parts and Steve wasn’t. It’s a little confusing.” She explained.

                  “I’m sorry about…”

                  “Earlier? I don’t care. I figure you all know next to nothing because Grant doesn’t…it’s like part of our lives never existed. He shut it off, or tried to, at least. Steve’s got a bit of a knight in shining armor complex though.”

                  “Doesn’t that go with his job title?”

                  “Pretty much.” She laughed as they placed the dishes in the sink. “I cook, I don’t do the dishes. We’ll just soak them.”

                  “Need to get the dessert ready?”

                  “Yeah. Thanks.” Darcy smiled. “Grant is terrified of this.” She nodded to her brother who was watching with interest.

                  “So is Coulson.”

                  “Nothing would terrify them more than us becoming friends.” Skye smiled widely as Darcy took out the dessert plates, forks, and serving spoon. She handed them to Skye. “I’ll grab the tiramisu.”

                  “Ok.” She grabbed both cake pans out of the fridge, bringing them to the table. She set them both at her place. “I’ll serve, we’ll pass around.”

                  “We can serve ourselves…” Jane started.

                  “Most of us can Jane. Or do you not remember the last donut fight?”

                  “Good point, serve away.”  

* * *

 

 

                  “Do you want to go over what you all have?” Darcy asked as everyone finished up dessert. It was quiet, for a moment, as everyone figured out how to proceed with her there.                  

                  “We don’t have much, just that he’s an ex-hydra agent and was headed to New York. Obviously he’s here already.” Coulson said.

                  “Jarvis…” Tony announced. Jarvis projected all the information gathered in the middle of the table so everyone could see.

                  “That is awesome.” Skye and Fitz said in unison.

                  “I’m going to have to send a fruit basket to the Director of National Security again, aren’t I?” Darcy looked at her boss.

                  “Probably Homeland too. CIA definitely. FBI maybe? And their Canadian, UK, French, South African, Swiss and German counterparts.” She could have laughed, right then. One brother a Shield agent, a hero and the other brother had files with Homeland, the CIA and the FBI and in multiple countries.

                  “I called as he was doing it, they know. Well, the US government does.” Pepper told her.

                  “Wilson, after murdering your parents, was taken in by some more extreme members, if possible, of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary…” Natasha began

                  “Because my dad was Jewish and so am I.” Natasha nodded as Steve put his hand on her leg in reassurance. “How long was he there?”

                  “A few days. They were able to get him to Canada, where he joined up with the Heritage Front, who are neo-Nazis. I didn’t realize Canada had extremist groups. I thought they just had moose.” Clint continued. “From there he bounced around a lot, we have him an alias, Will Darcy,”

                  “Why would he use your first name?” Simmons asked.

                  “It’s our mom’s maiden name. Daniel thought it was a sweet idea and mom loved _Pride and Prejudice_.” Grant said. “He worked as a mercenary?”

                  “Yep, mostly training though. He stayed pretty close to neo-nazi groups, he was a skinhead for a while, which eventually drew him to Hydra.” Clint continued. “Fascists have to stick together, after all.”

                  “And then what, he just decided to leave?” Skye asked.

                  “We don’t know. There’s no way of knowing. Hydra doesn’t keep records that we can track. The fact that we even know he was Hydra is a miracle.” Steve told them.

                  “Or it’s what he wanted.” Darcy supplied. “So your plan is to keep me here…”

                  “Yes. We don’t know what weapons he has, or what his plan is, and going about life like nothing is happening puts you in danger and it puts innocent people in danger.” Steve looked at Darcy then, to drive the point home. She was stubborn, but she wouldn’t put innocent people in danger. “I know you hate it, but it’s the only plan we have right now until he does something stupid and gives himself away.”

                  “Fine. But am I the only one here who’s thought ‘maybe I’m not the target?’” Darcy asked.

                  “He’s in New York. You saw him.” Grant told her. “He followed you. Who else could be the target?”

                  “Neither of you had heard anything about him for what, 16 years?” Bruce asked. “And suddenly Shield learns that an ex-hydra agent is heading to New York?”

                  “And the minute you heard he was heading to New York, you came here. It’s what you do Grant. It’s what you’ve always done, and he knows that.”

                  “So you think I’m the target? Would you have preferred that I didn’t…”

                  “That’s not what I was saying and you know it.” She told him. “But, the minute I was in trouble you were here. You were in New Mexico 24 hours after Thor left. If you didn’t have your own shit to deal with after London, you’d have taken leave. I know you. You protect the people you care about. You always have.” The entire table was quiet.

                  “So, Ward is just as much a target as Darcy.” May said.

                  “Or neither Darcy or Grant are the target and we’ve all walked into a giant trap.” Steve added.

                  “I did warn you that my family is complicated when we started dating.” Darcy said, putting her head on his shoulder.  

                  “I thought you meant uncomfortable thanksgiving dinners.”

                  “This isn’t uncomfortable enough?” Grant asked.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy gives everyone an ultimatum, Jane wants to punch Darcy's brother in the face, and Wilson leaves a calling card of sorts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has fought me tooth and nail over the past few weeks, even when it was outlined out and had scenes written. This chapter is a little dark, but it's leading everything into the action for the next few chapters. Thanks to everyone for being so supportive and all the kind comments being left, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!

               

* * *

 

                Darcy zoned out when they started talking about plans in earnest. She knew she should be listening carefully, since it was her life at risk. But it was so easy to slip into the role she had perfected by 3, the little girl who constantly needed her brother to save her from the maniac who called himself her big brother. She felt grounded though, with Steve’s right hand drawing nonsensical patterns on her arm, his heart beat in her ear. It calmed her.

                  There were security protocols being put in place for her, since Grant was a trained agent. They all knew that he wouldn’t, he couldn’t, take Grant; he wanted to take her to draw Grant out. She wasn’t an idiot. She knew Steve and Bucky could talk for hours about Hydra weapons and what they could expect. Fitz and Simmons (she refused to call them FitzSimmons like her brother, they were two separate people, no matter how in sync they were) were discussing ways to tag her, to keep her on their radar. Tony mentioned Swiss mercenaries because he was a billionaire who would not admit that he had a heart under all that or that she was one of his people. It was sweet. He also mentioned Rhodey, who was apparently already on his way in because Pepper had called him. Bruce had volunteered to go everywhere with her, which was not a bad thing because she had a soft spot for the man. Natasha, Clint and May were all silent, which meant bad things. They talked about plans, they talked about how this could go, contingency plans and whatnot. But not once did they ask her what she wanted to do. She may be barely paying attention, but it was still her life. She was still at the center of this, it was still, for better or worse, her family. Her brother.

                  “I don’t want him dead.” She told them quietly, suddenly. “Hurt him, shoot him, I don’t care. I don’t want him dead…”

                  “Darcy…” Grant and Steve started in unison.

                  “No. Since…I was 8. Grant. I’ve had 16 years to think of what I want, for the man that killed my parents. And I want him to sit in a hole for the rest of his life, and I want him to watch as we all thrive. Because it would be his greatest achievement, to have you be the one to kill him….”

                  “Darcy, we can’t...he deserves it.”

                  “Bullshit Grant. He tormented me for 8 years, you for 16, Jackson for 14. You may have been able to bury that somewhere in you but I lack that ability. Its not forgiveness, it’s not mercy. Killing him means we’ve given him what he wants, _he wins_. You can’t kill your brother, no matter what he did, because you’re _not_ him. But having him alive, locking him alone somewhere he’ll never see the light of day, sending him letters about how well we’re doing. How happy we are. I want to one day send him pictures of my children, smiling kids who will never know anything like the hell we grew up in. Kids who will never know what it feels like to be constantly looking over your shoulder because you’re afraid that the past is going catch up with you and it will be the last thing you…since no one, since getting here, since finding out about this, has asked me what I want,” She was practically shaking, “This is what I want.” The entire room went silent at her proclamation. She refused to look at Grant, because she knew it would only end in a knock down, drag out fight in front of everyone. So she looked across the table at Coulson. He understood. He’d read her file, he knew Grant well. He wouldn’t let him do this. He nodded.

                  “Call it Cap.” Tony said from the other side of the table.

                  “Ok.” He told her. “One condition. If, for any reason, any of our plans go to hell and you get taken, and its you or him…its you. Every time. I will not hesitate.”

                  “Ok.” She agreed.

                  “Hold on a minute, you don’t get to call the shots…” Grant started.

                  “You are not a field agent here, you are a target. Your sister is a target. You do not get to call the shots here.” Steve told Grant in his Captain America voice.

                  “He’s right.” Coulson interrupted, to Darcy’s pleasure. She really did not have the energy to break up a fight between her boyfriend and her brother. Steve pulled her closer to him, linking their hands together. “If you weren’t an agent, you wouldn’t have a say at all. She’s right, she knows what she’s doing; we should have asked her. And it’s not an unreasonable request. You can’t make decisions like this.”

                  “Son of Coul is right, no matter how far gone your brother is it is not a burden you want to carry.” Thor boomed.

                  “I think we should go back to telling embarrassing Ward stories.” Skye said. “We’ve got enough of a plan, right. We can’t do anything until Wilson makes a move anyway.”

                  “She’s right.” Natasha said. “Let’s tell embarrassing stories about Agent Ward.”

                  “I’m going to do the dishes. I can’t stand looking at them.” Darcy told them, getting up. “Tell Ward in the field foibles.”

                  “Do you need help?” Steve asked.

                  “No. I’m good.”

                  “I’ll help.” Jane added, getting up. “Come on Darce.”

* * *

                 

 

                  Jane watched Darcy carefully as she rinsed the dishes; Coulson’s group regaling their crowd with tales of their field exploits. Darcy was pale, shaky, and barely holding it together. She didn’t say anything, just continually washed the dishes. Jane remembers when, shortly after Thor had returned to Asgard the first time, Darcy had told her about her family history. About how her eldest brother had killed her parents, how the youngest of them was missing, and she was always lucky if she heard from the middle of them once a month.  She still remembers the day Grant marched into town and the screaming match between he and Darcy that Erik and Barton broke up. He’d treated her like she was still a wayward child who needed protection. She saw the same actions here. Steve was keeping her safe, making decisions out of worry, because he didn’t want to burden her with coming up with a protection plan against her own brother. Against her family. Where Grant was doing it because he couldn’t see that Darcy was no longer the little sister in need of protecting. She wanted to hit him, to rage for him to see his sister as she was now. Like everyone else at this table, including Coulson, and most likely Wilson saw her now. She was strong, capable, and her best friend. She wasn't going to let anything happen to her either.

                  “You ok?”

                  “What would make anything ok right now?” Darcy asked

                  “Thor punching your brother in the face?”

                  “I’m waiting for Steve to do it.” Darcy said softly. “He thinks I didn’t notice but his hands clenched any time that Grant put forward a plan.”

                  “Coulson will talk sense into him. Or May. Is there something there?”

                  “I have no idea. All I know is there was at least 1 time.”

                  “You will have to tell me later.”

                  “I definitely will.” Darcy smiled.

                  “Look, I know you don’t want to hear this…”

                  “Jane…”

                  “It’s ok to be terrified. But you’re my best friend and you’ve been there for me during crazy shit involving moping over an alien god who went back to his home universe…so, don’t worry. This is your family, the one that gathered around you like you were a black hole and we’re all planets being sucked into your orbit.”

                  “Did you just compare me to a black hole?”

                  “I did. Was that not good?”

                  “I very honestly don’t know. There will be some wikipediaing later.”

                  “I didn’t want to say moth to the flame because it’s kind of derivative.”

                  “This, right here, why we’re friends.”

 

* * *

 

 

                  Grant watched as Fitz and Simmons went off with Stark, Banner and Foster to the labs. Pepper volunteered to show the others to their rooms, while Thor followed Foster to the labs. Barton, Romanov and Barnes were having a conversation using only their eyebrows.

                  “Come on Barnes, sniper fight. You can’t beat me.” Clint told him, getting up. “Short stuff, get some sleep, you’re looking a little peaky.”

                  “Thanks asshole.” Darcy responded quietly. “Do you know which one is Steve’s apartment Bucky…”

                  “I’ll crash on their couch. I’ve slept worst.”

                  “You sure?” Steve asked.

                  “Yeah.” Rogers stood up, pulling his sister with him. His sister was dating Captain America and wanted to keep the man that killed her parents alive. He didn’t understand it, they had the same 16 years to process it all. Maybe before the Bezerker incident he could have understood it, but all he wanted to do was make him pay.

                  “Come on Grant, you’ll stay in my guest room.”  She told him as they headed to the elevator. It was a quiet ride down four floors. There were only 2 rooms on the floor, the doors across from each other about 8 steps from the elevator banks. “Jane and Thor are across the hall.”

                  “Where’s Rogers sleeping?”

                  “My room.” Darcy responded, opening the door on the right.

                  “Doesn’t that offend an unspoken rule of the 1940s?”

                  “You know they had sex in the 40s, 30s too, right?” Steve asked as Darcy turned on the light. “I was down here a few hours ago checking sightlines and closing all the blinds, that wasn’t there.” He pointed to the box on the coffee table.

                  “I didn’t order anything either…JARVIS?”

                  “I find that I cannot find any evidence of anyone coming in or out of your apartment until you just returned. I’ve alerted the others.” The AI intoned. Steve pulled a penknife out of his pocket as he approached the box. Grant pulled Darcy behind him as Steve opened the box carefully, pulling out a teddy bear holding a note. Darcy paled. Steve took the note.

                  “You had that bear when you were little. It went missing.”

                  “It…Wilson used it to show me what would happen to me if I ever tattled on him.” Darcy told them as Steve read the note before handing it to Grant.

                  “What did he do?” Steve asked, fearing the answer.

                  “He decapitated Mr. Fluffy then disemboweled him for emphasis.” Darcy moved from behind Grant so she could stand next to Steve. “What did the note say?”

                  “’How long do you think they can protect you? How long do you think you can protect them? See you soon’” Steve looked at her as he told her, watching as it sunk in. She was just as much a target as they thought she was originally. They all were. She was putting them all in danger. She nodded slightly before grabbing the bear and the penknife from him and sitting down. She sliced open the bear as the two teams began entering her apartment. She pulled out the camera first, disconnecting it before handing it to Steve, along with his penknife. Then she looked at the box.

                  “That shouldn’t have even gotten past the mailroom. It’s not properly marked. Happy should have been called about it or I should have been called down to the mailroom. You know how Happy is about procedure.” She said, pulling the fuzz out of the bear. She found four bugs; one in each of the bears paws. He was an idiot if he thought she wouldn’t check. She lined them up on the table before taking off her shoe and began smashing.

                  “So, he sent her a bug filled teddy bear.” Grant told them.

                  “Darcy, we’re going to need you to leave. Jane, Pepper, Thor and Bruce are going to go with you.” Natasha said. She nodded, letting Steve help her up. He kissed her forehead before she headed out with the others. Everyone else spread out to begin searching. Ward headed to the guest room, knowing that Wilson would have left something for him too.

                  “Whoever got this in was able to black out the security cameras in the hallway.” Tony said as he searched through the footage on his StarkPad. “It’s just black, no picture, no sound, from 6:32 until 7:35.”

                  “Can I see that?” Skye asked. Tony handed her the StarkPad. “It’s one of those disrupter things, we saw something similar at a centipede site. Give me a few minutes and I should be able to pull it up.”

                  “Jarvis,” Steve asked. “Did you know…”

                  “There were absolutely no indications that anything was out of the ordinary Commander Rogers.”

                  “Found this in the guest room.” Grant said, returning with a box in his hands. “It’s to me.” Steve handed him the penknife and they all waited as he opened the box. It was a stuffed rabbit, with a note. He handed it to Coulson. “My step-grandparents got Darcy a bunny, just like this, for her third birthday. He killed it. Jackson took the blame, saying he left the cage open, he must have run away.” He told them as he sliced open its back, finding the camera. He handed it to Fitz to disconnect it, before searching for the bugs. As he pulled out the fourth one May handed him a glass of water. He dropped all 4 in the water, shorting them out. “He doesn’t have good tech, at least. And hopefully that static hurt his ears.”

                  “It’s a good thing you stopped at the box and Darcy is not in this apartment.” Natasha said from Darcy’s bedroom. “I have no idea how we didn’t notice, but for this I will find them…” Steve was first in the room, taking in all the pictures now plastered to Darcy’s wall. She couldn’t come back. They were stuck. He could smell the wallpaper paste.

                  “Here’s what I don’t understand, didn’t she see him earlier? He has to know that at least the avengers known, so why the games?” Skye asked from the back of the group. It had to be aimed at Coulson but he and Bucky heard it. “Holy shit.” She remarked, taking in the pictures.

                  “Psychological warfare. To break her before he even gets her…” Bucky responded. “Are these what I think they are?”

                  “Yes.” Grant responded. “But not the official ones. Not the police crime scene photographs. Apparently he took his own set of…” He paused as he noticed it, right above her headboard. The collage. There were pictures of a 7, very nearly 8-year old Darcy finding her parents on the floor of the kitchen. Darcy attempting to wake them up, Darcy covered in blood, and at the center of it was a picture of Wilson holding Darcy, a knife pressed to her throat. He felt sick.

                  “She said she came home to an empty house, it was just her parents…” Steve started.

                  “It’s what we assumed, she doesn’t remember anything from that day. She remembers going to bed the night before, that’s it. Only time she ever seemed to remember seeing anything was in nightmares. We all assumed that he wasn’t there because if he saw her she’d be dead too.”

                  “So why didn’t he kill her then?” Coulson asked. “And why does he want all this pageantry and does he want all the games before he tries to kill her now, 16 years after the fact?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The intruder is discovered and Steve and Jane have a heart-to-heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone for all the nice comments on the previous chapters - I keep meaning to respond but I've been busy looking for and applying to new jobs. This chapter is mostly set up for the second half of the story, but I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Thor entered Steve’s apartment first, as JARVIS automatically closed all the blinds and curtains. She stayed out in the hall with Bruce, Pepper, and Jane, her head on Jane’s shoulder.

“It is all clear.” Thor announced.

“Bruce, want to give me what ever it is you’re going to drug me with?”

“I have it.” Pepper said, pulling out two pills from her pockets.

“Are we that transparent?” Bruce asked.

“A little. But thanks. I’d be putting up a fuss had it just been a terrifying teddy bear and not a camera too.” She said as she dry swallowed the pills.

“They’re just going to calm you. You might be a little sleepy, but it’s not going to knock you out.”

“Thanks.” She said. “You can go back, help out. I’m going to go lay down for a bit.”

“Do you mind if I sit with you?” Jane asked.

“No.” Darcy agreed.

* * *

                  

Jane settled on Steve’s side of the bed as Darcy changed in the bathroom.

“I’m surprised you have stuff here.”

“We decided to keep some stuff in both our places here, while the majority of our stuff is in Brooklyn.”

“Pen and paper?”

“Check the side table, ignore the gun.”

“He keeps a gun here in the tower?”

“He’s a boy scout –“ Darcy commented as Jane opened the drawer. She noticed the gun, pen, some sketchbooks she could use and the ring box. She quickly took it out and put it in her pocket as Darcy exited the bathroom. “I would not be surprised if he leaves or sends someone to get his shield tomorrow.”

“He’ll send someone. I doubt he’s leaving you alone.”

“I’m sorry.” Darcy said, getting in to bed under the covers.

“For what?”

“For all this. For bringing him to our doorstep…”

“Darcy…”

“I never meant for this to happen. I should have known better…”

“It’s not your fault your brother is a _Criminal Minds_ episode in the making.”

 

* * *

 

 

Steve looked up as Thor and Bruce entered Darcy’s apartment.

“She voluntarily took them.” Bruce mentioned to Steve. “Jane and Pepper are with her.”

“Got it!” Skye exclaimed, handing the tablet back to Tony.

“Jarvis, on screen.” He announced. The TV turned on and the intruders face was clear as day.

“He doesn’t look like he wants to be here, doing this.” Coulson noted.

“That is the intern.” Thor told them.

“Ian. Right. He was in London, Shield asked me to keep him. I moved him down to the labs downstairs when he started to annoy Darcy…”

“Why would he annoy Darcy?” Grant asked.

“During the London invasion they got cornered by Dark Elves, he was quick on his feet, was able to pick up a car and hit them…something to do with the gravity. They kissed. Darcy didn’t want anything serious.” Steve said. “Then we met and he complained a lot and made the lab uncomfortable. Tony transferred him.”

“He’s still in the building.” Happy said, checking his tablet. “He hasn’t checked out for the night yet.”

“Go get him. Put him in one of the rooms under the lab.” Tony told Happy.

“Want some help?” Clint asked.

“Gladly.”

“Check his teeth for caps.” Steve said. “Just in case he did it voluntarily.”

“Will do.”  Clint smiled.

* * *

                 

They were going over plans again in the other room while listening to Ian’s interrogation. The intern was in the holding cells under the lab that Tony had built after New York.  Clearly, it wasn’t his plan, but it wasn’t clear why he did it yet. Steve couldn’t take it anymore and retreated to Darcy’s room where he took the photos off the wall. Then he started packing Darcy’s bag. It’s not like she had much in this apartment anyway, just some work clothes and enough clothes for a week. Everything else was in Brooklyn because that’s where they lived, just unofficially. Once this was all over he was keeping her there for a week, at least, away from anything that could possibly hurt her again.

 

He just needed a moment, a little time to wrap his head around everything. He could get over and understand the resurgence of HYDRA; that was their motto after all. “Cut off the head and two more shall rise in its place.” Not to mention the fact that neo-nazi’s existed too. And he knew, from Darcy, that her brother was out of his mind. It wasn’t ‘oh, he’s nuts.’ It had been ‘all those documentaries on serial killers and psychopaths growing up – yeah, that was our house until he was 18 and he killed mom and my dad.’ But even then, even knowing that her brother was so far off his rocker, he’d hoped it had all been a way to get Grant here. That Grant was the target. It was a horrible thought but he needed it to be true. He needed it to be true so the truth wasn’t Darcy was being hunted. He knew her nightmares. He’d seen how she looked over her shoulder. He knew how terrified she was of finding out that somehow Wilson had found Jackson. It didn’t happen often, but when the memories came back his strong, self-assured, confident girlfriend curled into herself. She lived with ghosts that could have crippled any one else. It should have crippled her; that was what Wilson wanted. But it hadn’t. He was petrified that this would break her.

 

But she was the target now. Clearly, without any doubt. Grant wasn’t safe, but Darcy was the focus. And she’d been a target much longer than any of them had realized. He should have paid closer attention. She should be safe.

“She’ll hit you if she thinks you’re blaming yourself.” Jane told him softly from the doorway. “Well, she would if she were awake. Pepper’s with her now.”

“I should have noticed.”

“I’m her best friend. I actually knew Ian. So I should have noticed too, by your logic. None of us could have known Steve. But Tony, Bruce and I might have a way to track them.”

“I’m listening.”

“Hydra weapons are still powered by the tesseract. We use the program Bruce developed before New York and alter it to take into account the degradation of the materials, how it would emit smaller amounts of radiation. We can do it.”

“Ok.”

“Oh, and I know you rarely use your place here, but while Darcy was getting changed I was looking for a pen and paper to write out some ideas and she told me to look in your bedside drawer.” She handed him the ring box. “You know she’ll snoop once she’s awake and bored. Especially if we keep her locked up there.”

"Did you look at it?"

"No. I'll wait to see it when it's hers to show off."

“You don’t think…”

“I think that she was in love with you the moment she met you, and I think you fell in love with her then too. I think with our lives, we never know what's going to happen, and you know that better than most.” She told him. “I think life has handed her millions of reasons to be unhappy and anti-social, and given her every reason to hide away from the world, and she’s my best friend. She doesn’t hide, she doesn’t cower…and she’s never been happier than when she is with you. So, if you think you’re ready then no, I don’t think it’s too fast.” Jane looked at him. “I’ll get her stuff from the bathroom.”

“Thanks,” he replied. “Not just for…”

“I know.” Jane smiled at him. “You’ll have to ask Grant, you know. For his blessing.”

“I figured that I’d ask Wilson before I bash his head in with my shield, since he's the oldest.”

“I think it would mean a little more to her if you ask Grant.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Grant attempt to talk. Darcy and Steve have a conversation. There are also pancakes, bacon, and interrogations.

* * *

 

It was late and Darcy’s room was processed. Steve had the bag filled with everything that had been left Darcy’s room. If he could help it she was not stepping foot in that room again. Everyone had filtered out, Bucky quietly informing him that he’d bunk with Clint and Natasha since Grant would be taking the guest room in Steve’s suite. Now he was in an elevator with Grant, alone with his girlfriend’s older brother. Most men would be terrified by it, but to be honest he was just kind of annoyed.

“Listen Captain, I know you like my sister…”

“Love, Agent Ward. I love your sister.”

“Ok,” Grant started. “I know you want to help but you don’t understand what’s going on.”

“Oh, I understand perfectly. Your older brother is a psychopath. Here’s what you don’t understand. I completely get it if you don’t talk about your childhood with your team, but your sister talks about it with me. It took her 6 months of living in New York before she stopped looking over her shoulder every time she heard a sound. That not even two weeks can go by without her having some sort of nightmare over that time. She may not remember that when she’s awake but she sure as hell remembers it when she’s sleeping. You want to protect your sister, good. So do I. But she’s not 8 any more, she doesn’t need you to make all the calls and fix everything for her. She’s 24 now, she doesn’t need a protector anymore. She’s been doing a damn fine job on her own. She needs her brother.” Steve told him angrily. “And, for the record, when Hydra is mentioned, I definitely understand that and more than you do, I’m guessing.” Steve paused to unlock the door. “The guest room is the second door on the right, your bag should be in there already. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. If you need anything let Jarvis know.” Grant didn’t say anything, just headed down to the spare room. Steve took a moment to make sure the door was locked, and quietly ran through a checklist with Jarvis, who assured him that everything was fine.

 

* * *

 

Darcy sat up as the door to their bedroom opened, reaching immediately for the gun in his bedside drawer.

“It’s me.” She heard him say. “Jarvis, lights low please.”

“Yes sir.” Jarvis intoned. Darcy sat up, taking a deep breath and focused on Steve’s familiar build. She didn’t bother to reach for her glasses as she sunk back into the pillows as he closed the door and stropped down to his boxer briefs before grabbing a pair of sweats from the dresser.

“Grant’s in the guest room” He said as he climbed into bed. “Jarvis, you can turn off the lights now.” The lights dimmed and turned off as Darcy turned, curling into Steve. He pulled her to him, so they could share as much space as humanly possible. She didn’t feel terrified now that he was here with her, solid next to her. He buried his face in her hair, holding her tightly.

“Where’s Bucky then?”

“Clint and Nat’s.” He told her. “How are you doing?”

“I’ve been better.” She admitted. “How are you holding up?”

“Well, considering one brother wants to kill you, and the other wants to kill me, I think it evens out.”

“He doesn’t want to kill you. He just wishes I was still 6.” He rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him and holding her close. “This isn’t…it would have gone a lot smoother if there weren’t an imminent threat of,” She took a deep breath. “I hate this.”

“I know. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“You can’t promise that.”

“I punched out Hitler over 200 times.”

“Babe, that only counts if it’s the real Hitler.” She laughed.

“Ok then, I took out 7 Hydra Installations. One, all by myself.”

“This is different. He’s different.”

“It’s more personal.”

“No, he’s more unhinged. Hydra, during the war, had a common goal. If he’s too nuts for a group hell bent on world domination then –“ She paused as he started playing with her hair to calm her. It always worked.

“You can’t think of it like that.” He tells her softly.

“How else am I supposed to think about it? He got into the tower somehow, he used someone to get to me where he thinks I live…”

“You’ve got to think about it like we know. We know his game. We know he’s out there. And you’ve got the Avengers and your brother’s team and we all want to make sure you’re safe. Ok?” She nodded, shifting a bit so she could look at him.

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt. For me. I got that enough growing up.”

“I know.” He cupped her cheek, pulling her down so he could kiss her. “We’ll get him.”

“I’m terrified.”

“So am I.” He admitted to her. “But, I refuse to lose you, so it’s not going to happen.”

“You know, most times I hate how sure you are about everything, but I don’t mind it now.” She moved, settling down over his heart and tangling their legs together. Steve leaned down, kissing the top of her head.

“You need your sleep.”

“You’ll stay?” He didn’t need as much sleep as she did, so he’d often leave bed and read or work out. Only after really intense missions would he spend an entire night with her asleep.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

 

* * *

 

 

Darcy woke up to the smell of bacon, which wasn’t unusual in their house since Steve always made full breakfasts (and lunches, and dinner). What was unusual was that Steve was still next to her, on her tablet. Then the day before rushed back to her. She sat up slowly, Steve rubbing her back as she did.

“Morning.”

“Morning.” She responded. “Grant’s making breakfast?”

“Yes. And he’s only cursed at the coffee machine twice.”

“Two sugars and cream. Steve takes his black!” She yelled out to the kitchen before leaning behind her to kiss Steve. “I’m going to get sort of acceptable.”

“Ok.” He laughed as she rolled over him to get out of bed and head to the master bath. “All your stuff is in the bag – your bathroom stuff is on top.”

“Excellent.” She grabbed the bag and closed the door behind her. Steve got out of bed, grabbing a shirt out of his drawer before heading out to the kitchen.

“You didn’t have to make breakfast.”

“I think we both know Darcy’s much happier when there are pancakes.”

“That is very true.”

“I’m sorry about yesterday. You were right.”

“We’re all stressed. What would Darcy say – We cool?” Grant raised an eyebrow. “I know, modern lingo does not suit me.”

“I’ve been told I’m prickly.”

“Your sister calls me a stick in the mud, so I get it.” Grant handed him a coffee.

“You are a stick in the mud, and you are definitely prickly.” Darcy made grabby hands for her coffee. She kissed her brother on the cheek as he handed her the coffee. “You two can bond over your inability to play well with others unless its your team, and even sometimes…” The door to the apartment opened behind them. Grant pulled his gun as Steve moved Darcy behind them. Tony just rolled his eyes at them. “What do you need boss, it’s Saturday.”

“It’s not Saturday if you’re here in the building.”

“Still Saturday.” Darcy told him as Grant holstered his gun and turned back to the pancakes.

“Whatever. Since the likelihood of you staying in the tower is zero without bribery or Hulk blocking the doorway, the brain trust and I developed this. It’s a patch, it’s undetectable,”

“Fitz Simmons came up with that.” Grant said, plating the pancakes and handing a stack to Darcy, along with some bacon. She smiled as he handed her the gravy boat filled with melted butter, pouring it over her pancakes and adding maple syrup.

“And Bruce, Foster and I perfected it.” Tony said as he took the plate from Darcy and started eating. “These are goods. The tracker isn’t helpful when we have to be 50 meters away for it to work. This will be able to track you from wherever, whenever.”  Darcy smiled as Steve handed her his fork and she sat down at the breakfast bar.

“How long does it last?” She asked, digging into the pancakes despite the fact that Tony was also eating them.

“Really Lewis.”

“They’re my pancakes. My brother made them for me. Not you. How long does it last?”

“It should degrade within 6 months. 12 at most.”

“Yeah, no, make it removable. You cannot know where I am at all times. Steve would kill you.” She told him, taking the plate back.

“If we make it removable, will you wear it?”

“I will seriously consider it.”

“Are you humoring us?”

“A little.”  She smiled as Grant handed Steve a large plate of pancakes.

“Where are my pancakes?” Tony asked.

“Jarvis?”

“Ms. Potts has been notified, Sir, your presence is requested in the penthouse. Immediately.”

“Did you get me in trouble?”

“There are clear boundaries, boss. You’re not supposed to annoy me on weekends, no matter where I stay. The minute you started eating my pancakes, you were annoying me. Jarvis can sense it now, can’t you J?”

“I can Miss Lewis.”

“And he informs Pepper.”

“Traitor.”

“It’s for your benefit sir. You know that Miss Lewis will, and has, tased you.”  

“Good point. I will see you all later. Darcy, since you’re here…”

“Nope. Not working.”

“Can I get pancakes?”

“No. You can get out of the apartment though.”   
“But I want pancakes.”

“You’re 43 years old. Go make them yourself.”

“You’re no fun.” He said, turning to leave the apartment.

“I know.”

“Jarvis is monitoring everything outside the building. Natasha and Clint are with Ian.”

“Ian?” Darcy turned to Steve and Grant. “Ian?”

“Oops?” Steve said as he shoveled more pancakes into his mouth.

 

* * *

 

 

Steve knocked on the mirror, drawing Natasha and Clint out of the room. Ian’s head was down on the desk. Coulson and May were watching from the outside.

“She wants to talk to him.” Steve told them as Grant brought Darcy in.

“Does she know?” Natasha asked quietly. He nodded. They’d told her what they found in her room, what it meant. She’d taken it well, surprisingly.

“Are you sure?” Clint asked. “Is _she_ sure?”

“Yeah.” He told them.

“Which one of you is going in with her?” Coulson asked.

“Grant. He promised to be quiet.” Darcy smiled softly.

 

* * *

 

She sat down across from Ian, watching as he registered who was sitting on the opposite side of the table.

“I’m sorry I didn’t feel the same way you did.” She started. “I thought I wasn’t ready for anything serious, and that’s what you wanted. I’m sorry that my feelings about that changed when I met Steve. But you need to tell us everything you know.”

“Why should I?”

“Because I refuse to think that the nice, dorky scientist who saved my life was a monster. You saw those photos. You hung them up in my room.”

“They were just bodies. I just did as he asked.”

“They were my _parents_ bodies. They were of _me_ finding them. They were of me, with a knife to my throat. I was 8 years old. He wants to kill me. He wants to kill my brothers.”

“He will kill me…”

“You don’t deserve it, but I know some people. He won’t.”

“Darcy,” Grant started.

“I don’t know anything about Wilson. He contacted me. He told me what to do.” She stood up.

“Fine. I’m sure Shield has a dark hole it can hide you in for the rest of your life.”

“You wouldn’t let them…”

“You broke into my apartment. You left surveillance equipment. You were able to disarm Jarvis, for a short period of time. You threatened Captain America’s girlfriend. I don’t know if Wilson told you anything else, but he’s my brother. But more importantly – so is this guy.” She pointed at Grant. “He’s a shield agent. Level 7. He knows all the good places to disappear you to. And we’re going to.”

“What about my life? My friends, my work?”

“I imagine Shield will tell them you got involved with an international terrorist organization. Wilson is Hydra, didn’t you know?” She nodded at the mirror, letting Steve open the door for her. “I’d say it was nice seeing you again, but I really hate lying.” Grant followed her out, closing the door behind him as Ian started to shout. Natasha turned off the speakers.

“He’s still hiding something.”

“It’s not Wilson related.” Grant said. “He wasn’t surprised to know Wilson was Hydra. I imagine his friends and work is Hydra.”

“Or anything he’s done here to screw up for Hydra. Jarvis, can you make sure someone goes over all his work since we moved him?”

“I will Miss Lewis.” Jarvis responded.

“We’ll call Sitwell, send him to the sandbox.” Coulson told her. “I was hoping he’d know something.”

“Since he doesn’t, what does that mean?” Steve asked.

“That we’re back at step one, and other than psychological warfare, we have no clue what Wilson is planning.”

“Oh, so the past 16 years of our lives then.” Darcy told them. “It’s too early for a drink, isn’t it?”


End file.
